The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: something old, something new

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every person in the English speaking world has been exposed to some version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Whether it’s the epistolary neuroticism of Bridget Jones, the lovingly crafted and loyal 1995 BBC TV series, or the Bollywood influenced musical numbers, Austen’s most loved work has continued to make itself relevant in the two hundred years since its release.

Never out of vogue, Pride and Prejudice has been retold in a range of mediums from the merging of a horror, mystery and suped up romance, to dramatic adaptations on stage and screen, and even a jaunt into picture book territory (Mr Darcy, as a duck) in the past two decades.

In 2012 the world of Meryton and Netherfield merged with that of the internet in the form of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Hank Green and Bernie Su co-createdThe Lizzie Bennet Diaries (LBD) in a way that lovingly references the classic text, reflects current society and social media, and created a staggeringly engaged community around their series.

This series of blog posts (6) explores the transformation of Pride and Prejudice into The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and will cover context, transmedia, audience connection, adaptation and classroom applications.